I have always struggled with my weight. When I was 20, I finally lost some excess pounds. Then I met my husband, got married, and got pregnant with our first son. During my pregnancy I gained weight, but not as much as I had expected to gain given my tendency to pack on pounds. After my son was born however, the weight really came on and I have been trying to lose it ever since.

Now that we are trying to conceive the extra weight really bothers me. I have heard countless times that being overweight while pregnant can cause complications both for the mother and the baby. I’ve heard horror stories of gestational diabetes, C-sections, birth defects, and more. But on the flip side, I have known many overweight women who have had perfectly healthy pregnancies and babies and I have heard of even more success stories. Naturally I’ve felt both confused and concerned.

Although it would be ideal to be at a healthier weight, we didn’t want to wait to grow our family. What if it never happened? Or happened in 10 years? So after speaking with my doctor we got the OK to keep trying.

In the meantime, I am doing all that I can to lose some weight and be healthier for my second pregnancy. I am not doing any extreme dieting or taking any supplements. I am just eating healthfully, drinking more water, and being more active (which I should always do anyway, even after becoming pregnant). While my weight is still a worry for me and a touchy subject, I am trying my best to be able to put this worry in my past and move forward for myself and my family.